Feedback on Marine Depot & Reef Hot Spot.

MitchS · 10/27/2008, 10:22 AM

Need feedback as I would like to order livestock from an online vendor. Can anyone provide some feedback on either of the two above vendors.

Thanks
Mitch

snorvich · 10/27/2008, 10:26 AM

I have placed two orders with Reef Hotspot and both went sell. Best is Live Aquaria Divers Den but price is higher than the two you asked about.

badazztealcobra · 10/27/2008, 10:59 AM

I will not be ordering from reef hot spot ever again. I placed a large order with them and had nothing but problems. shipped HORRIBLY, contacted the vendor right away, and of course all the fish just made it past the 14 day guarantee.

I had 3 swallowtail angelfish (2 female, 1 male), and 5 bangaii cardinals. The female swallotails were VERY sick and I had to seperate them. I still have the 1 male and 1 female in my tank.

The 5 bangaii's are all dead. they all lasted between 14 and 21 days. 3 of them wouldnt eat a thing that I put in the tanks for them, and 2 of them just didnt look good from the start.

I took a chance on them since they were a vendor here and the order was nothing short of a nightmare. When the FedEx guy delivers the box all wrapped in a plastic bag since the box was SOAKED you knew it was going to be bad from the start. no damage to the box, just werent bagged well at all, and they all leaked. Im guessing the box might have been upside down for a portion of the shipping but its still no excuse. Live Aquaria / Divers Den, and saltwaterfish.com have both shipped me perfect orders because they usually triple bag the order and they alternate the baging direction so even if it goes upside down, one of the layers will have the hole for the bag facing up and wont allow the water to get out.

Sorry it was so long, but I would stick with either liveaquaria or saltwaterfish.com. Live Aquaria is the best for returns as well. If you have a loss you email them and they credit you. No bickering about anything.

Illuminati · 10/27/2008, 11:11 AM

Glad I'm not the only one that has had a bad order from Reefhotspot. Got an injured Helfrichi Firefish from them that developed ich and died. It survived close to a month but it was doomed from the start.

Places I've had good luck with for fish:
Marine Center
Saltwaterfish.com
Liveaquaria (Shipping out of CA)

badazztealcobra · 10/27/2008, 11:14 AM

Unforunately I tried even after your firefish ordeal. They were the only place I could find a harem of swallowtails and it was truly a disaster.

MitchS · 10/27/2008, 11:24 AM

Thanks for all the feedback--looks like I'll consider live aquaria.

Mitch

Pufferpunk · 10/27/2008, 06:13 PM

I am on my 3rd order from www.bluezooaquatics.com . Great customer service, good prices & healthy livestock. I got a huge Manderin (about 5"), for only $16.

taylor t · 10/27/2008, 06:46 PM

Marine depot - never ordered from.

Reef hot spot - Only 2 orders (2 gigantea, 1 tang) all are alive and well. I thought packaging was very good.

Live aquaria - too many orders to remember. mostly good. customer service is very good. Although, many fish I've received have been skinny.

I've also used "Piece-of-the-Reef" a couple times, and had good luck with them too.

10/27/2008, 10:22 AM	#1
MitchS Registered Member Join Date: Apr 2007 Posts: 27	Feedback on Marine Depot & Reef Hot Spot. Need feedback as I would like to order livestock from an online vendor. Can anyone provide some feedback on either of the two above vendors. Thanks Mitch

10/27/2008, 10:26 AM	#2
snorvich Team RC member Join Date: Aug 2005 Location: Outlander Posts: 40,953 Blog Entries: 46	I have placed two orders with Reef Hotspot and both went sell. Best is Live Aquaria Divers Den but price is higher than the two you asked about. __________________ Warmest regards, ~Steve~

10/27/2008, 11:11 AM	#4
Illuminati Premium Member Join Date: Dec 2005 Location: Des Plaines, IL Posts: 3,986	Glad I'm not the only one that has had a bad order from Reefhotspot. Got an injured Helfrichi Firefish from them that developed ich and died. It survived close to a month but it was doomed from the start. Places I've had good luck with for fish: Marine Center Saltwaterfish.com Liveaquaria (Shipping out of CA) __________________ RC nTOTM creator Future nTOTM winner :) Current Tank Info: Biocube 16 LED

10/27/2008, 10:59 AM	#3
badazztealcobra Registered Member Join Date: Oct 2006 Location: Streamwood, IL Posts: 7,394	I will not be ordering from reef hot spot ever again. I placed a large order with them and had nothing but problems. shipped HORRIBLY, contacted the vendor right away, and of course all the fish just made it past the 14 day guarantee. I had 3 swallowtail angelfish (2 female, 1 male), and 5 bangaii cardinals. The female swallotails were VERY sick and I had to seperate them. I still have the 1 male and 1 female in my tank. The 5 bangaii's are all dead. they all lasted between 14 and 21 days. 3 of them wouldnt eat a thing that I put in the tanks for them, and 2 of them just didnt look good from the start. I took a chance on them since they were a vendor here and the order was nothing short of a nightmare. When the FedEx guy delivers the box all wrapped in a plastic bag since the box was SOAKED you knew it was going to be bad from the start. no damage to the box, just werent bagged well at all, and they all leaked. Im guessing the box might have been upside down for a portion of the shipping but its still no excuse. Live Aquaria / Divers Den, and saltwaterfish.com have both shipped me perfect orders because they usually triple bag the order and they alternate the baging direction so even if it goes upside down, one of the layers will have the hole for the bag facing up and wont allow the water to get out. Sorry it was so long, but I would stick with either liveaquaria or saltwaterfish.com. Live Aquaria is the best for returns as well. If you have a loss you email them and they credit you. No bickering about anything.

10/27/2008, 11:14 AM	#5
badazztealcobra Registered Member Join Date: Oct 2006 Location: Streamwood, IL Posts: 7,394	Unforunately I tried even after your firefish ordeal. They were the only place I could find a harem of swallowtails and it was truly a disaster.

10/27/2008, 11:24 AM	#6
MitchS Registered Member Join Date: Apr 2007 Posts: 27	Thanks for all the feedback--looks like I'll consider live aquaria. Mitch

10/27/2008, 06:13 PM	#7
Pufferpunk Moved On Join Date: Feb 2004 Location: Franklin Park, IL Posts: 21,027	I am on my 3rd order from www.bluezooaquatics.com . Great customer service, good prices & healthy livestock. I got a huge Manderin (about 5"), for only $16.

10/27/2008, 06:46 PM	#8
taylor t Registered Member Join Date: Oct 2006 Location: Naperville, Il Posts: 2,396	Marine depot - never ordered from. Reef hot spot - Only 2 orders (2 gigantea, 1 tang) all are alive and well. I thought packaging was very good. Live aquaria - too many orders to remember. mostly good. customer service is very good. Although, many fish I've received have been skinny. I've also used "Piece-of-the-Reef" a couple times, and had good luck with them too.